Listening Survey shows barriers faculty and staff face, opportunity for solutions

Lily Pace
Wed, 08 Oct 2025 01:43:45 +0000
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Ohio State publishes staff and faculty feedback survey. Credit: Daniel Bush | Campus Photo Editor

The results of the Ohio State Listening Survey are in—and results show a handful of challenges that staff and faculty feel Ohio State should address, including clearer communication with the administration’s plans, engagement between departments and more opportunities for growth in different departments.?

Around 52 percent of employees, or 7,673 individuals, responded to the survey from May 1-23, with a 1.5 percent increase from 2024, according to the results. The survey was conducted by Perceptyx, a third-party research firm.?

University President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. said in a letter Monday that he is thankful for all faculty and staff who took the time in the survey and highlighted the top three findings.

“I’m a believer in Woody Hayes’ philosophy that we win with people, and Ohio State is fortunate to have some of the very best serving across our campuses,” Carter said.?

Carter emphasized that with this feedback, the university administration can continue improving to make it a better place to work.?

Here were the biggest takeaways from the Listening Survey.?

Faculty and staff want clearer directions for the Ohio State’s vision

According to the survey, one-third of employees at the university remain uncertain about the future of Ohio State.?

The survey states that almost 50 percent of employees are requesting clearer communication around change.

“President Carter recognized the need to communicate a bold vision for the university’s future,” Chris Booker, university spokesperson, said in an email. “The result is the university’s strategic plan: Education for Citizenship 2035, which he presented in his State of the University address just last month – after the survey was completed.”

In the category “Future Vision,” over 50 percent of faculty and staff feel that they see a clear link between their work and the university’s vision, which is a one percent increase from 2024. University employees feel that the administration needs to communicate a clearer vision for the future, with only 40 percent of employees who are favorable about current forms of communication, down one percent from 2024.?

In a new category added to this year’s survey, “Change & Innovation,” faculty and staff expressed their opinions on two new prompts. One of those new prompts is “Good ideas are adopted here regardless of who suggests them or where they come from,” to which around 50 percent of employees agreed.?

Around 70 percent of employees feel that the university does not lead change effectively, or they are neutral about how Ohio State approaches change, according to the survey.?

Carter addressed this in his letter, stating that he is aware “there’s a desire for greater clarity about decision-making at Ohio State.”?

“I’m proud of our shared governance model and to serve with colleagues who are eager to support change, and I welcome opportunities to strengthen our communication about how and why we make the decisions we do so that our campus community feels informed and engaged,” Carter said.?

Faculty and staff feel engaged with the university?

According to the survey, faculty and staff feel that their skills are utilized effectively at the university, with 72 percent of employees reporting that they have a favorable relationship with their direct lead, up around two percent from 2024.?

When it comes to respect from unit leaders, almost 90 percent of faculty and staff who answered the survey reported that they feel respected in their role by their supervisors.?

Faculty and staff also reported that 58 percent of them feel comfortable raising concerns about violations of Ohio State’s policies and rules, according to the survey.?

“The world’s best faculty and staff want flexible, supportive, trusting work environments where their expertise and opinions are invited and valued,” Carter said in the letter. “Our ability to provide that kind of environment is directly related to our success in recruiting and retaining world-class talent.”

The university is regarded as a great place to work by the majority of faculty and staff

Over 65 percent of faculty and staff recommended the university as a great place to work, according to the survey, with almost 75 percent of employees reporting that they are proud to work at Ohio State.?

For current faculty and staff, over 80 percent plan to stay at the university for the next 12 months, up six percent compared to last year.?

Carter said in the letter that one university-wide step that could improve the well-being of staff is the reinstatement of Academic Winter Recess.?

“The recess will be a well-deserved chance for colleagues to rest and recharge, and I’m pleased that we are able to take this action after thoughtful feedback from our faculty and staff,” Carter said. “Those unable to take the recess will have the opportunity to take days off during other parts of the year.”

Workplace well-being is on the rise, as well as performance management

For both faculty and staff, they feel that the university cares about their health and well-being. However, there is a 10 percent difference between how the faculty and staff feels, with a 50 and 60 percent rating respectively.

Since this is a new category introduced in 2025, there is no comparison to 2024. Faculty and staff also agree that they are able to balance their work and personal life, with almost 75 percent feeling favorable.?

Most faculty and staff, at around 65 percent, also believe that their accomplishments are recognized when they do a good job, according to the survey.?

However, less than 50 percent of faculty and staff feel that employees are held accountable for their performances.?

Faculty and staff want more cross-collaboration

The “Teamwork and Collaboration” category is up almost six percent compared to last year, with the university’s largest increase being in the trust and respect people at Ohio State hold for each other.

However, this total is 55 percent, and the overall ranking for teamwork and collaboration is at around 50 percent. When it comes to cooperation across units and departments, faculty and staff agree that the university has room to grow, with only around 45 percent agreeing that there is effective communication across departments.?

Growth, development and community have mixed results?

“Community” and “Growth & Development” are two new categories introduced in 2025, both of which showed how employees feel at the university.?

Around 60 percent of faculty and 70 percent of staff feel that they are part of a community in their college or unit. The same percentages go for employees who feel valued in their college or unit.?

For growth and development, over 80 percent of faculty and staff feel that their role makes good use of their skills and abilities, with only around 9 percent feeling negatively.?

However, this changes when it comes to development in their college. Only around 50 percent of employees feel that there are opportunities to grow in their college or unit.

This story was updated Oct. 8 at 8 a.m. to correct the headline and add a statement from Chris Booker.